


From Hero to Zero

by merycula (thanksillpass)



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Artists, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-01-11
Packaged: 2018-03-07 04:11:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3160721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thanksillpass/pseuds/merycula
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sakurai is a manga artists who accidentally meets someone who looks exactly like his protagonist</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Hero to Zero

**Author's Note:**

  * For [clockworkmoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/clockworkmoon/gifts).



Sakurai was exhausted. He kept swaying on his feet as he was waiting for the train, focusing the remnants of his energy on holding tight onto the file in his hands. He spent the entire night finishing the chapter and making sure it was beyond perfect so he could swipe his new editor off her feet, and he would deliver the pages even if it was the last thing he did.

He loved that manga. It was the greatest accomplishment of his life, the plot was his legacy, and the characters were his children. Ryou had a soft spot especially for the protagonist – your typical tall, dark, and handsome, but secretly a shy, chivalrous romantic with the heart of gold and an array of lovable flaws, such as clumsiness and weakness against kittens.

Unable to hold back a goofy smile when he spaced out thinking about his favorite character, he didn’t notice someone trying to pass him by and couldn’t move out of the way before a tall man slammed into his shoulder, making him drop his file. Sakurai immediately apologized, of course, scrambling to pick up his work, but the man didn’t dignify that with a reaction, undoubtedly angry.

Wanting to confirm his concerns, Ryou slowly lifted his eyes as he got up, and completely froze, awkwardly bent in half. He must have been hallucinating from sleep deprivation, because the person who bumped into him was no other than the protagonist of his manga – almost two meters tall, with short black hair and dark complexion, giving off the feeling of superiority and unapproachability.

Ryou swallowed, straightening up slowly, and kept staring, still unable to believe his own eyes. he must have been pretty obvious about it, because the man in question suddenly flinched and looked straight at him, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. Sakurai gulped, bowing instantly.

“I’m so sorry!”

The man clicked his tongue. “So you  _were_  staring. What is it? Do I have something on my face?”

Ryou practically melted on the spot – even the gruff voice was everything that he’s imagined. He was practically vibrating with need to express his emotions, ask so many questions, incoherently screech from excitement. The guy was scowling at him, impatient with lack of any response, so Sakurai promptly apologized again.

“I’m sorry, you just look  _exactly_  like the main character in my manga!” he blurted out before he could realize how weird it sounded.

“Huh, you’re a manga artist?” asked the man, visibly relaxing and brightening up. “Cool. And I’m in your manga? Can I see? Am I a badass? Do I kill for a living? Am I a famous rock star?”

Sakurai gaped, slightly put off by the stranger’s unexpected excitement. He realized that he shouldn’t have expected the man to be similar to his hero also personality-wise, but it was still rather shocking to watch. Ryou half-expected the guy to get shy and maybe drop something form nerves, and what he got was an apparent egomaniac looking for another ego boost.

He was about to reluctantly pass the file to the curious man, when his train arrived, saving him from the awkward conversation. He apologized and hopped on the train, ready to let out a sigh of relief, when he noticed the guy getting on as well, and motioning with his hand to show him the manuscript. Sakurai gave up, sitting next to him, and quietly waiting for judgment.

“Wow, this guy really does look like me! It’s amazing! You’re really good at drawing, huh?”

Ryou thanked him softly, blushing involuntarily, as the tiniest sliver of hope crept into his heart; perhaps that man wasn’t so different from his manga equivalent. He chanced a glance at his companion, taking in the obvious excitement donning his features, until it visibly started to fade, making Sakurai’s heart sink.

“This is kind of boring,” he decided. “And this guy is weird. Why is he getting so flustered around girls? I don’t act like that.”

Ryou felt his brow twitch as his fists clenched involuntarily. He cleared his throat, about to politely – but firmly – explain to the man that the manga was _not_  about him, and just because he happened to look like Sakurai’s protagonist, didn’t mean he had the right to  _criticize_  him, but the announcement about his stop sobered him up. He apologized on instinct, before tearing his manuscript from the surprised stranger’s hands.

Not even sparing the man a glance, he got off on his station and started walking towards his publisher’s building, even more exhausted than before. To his astonishment, the guy followed him there as well, rudely complaining about Ryou acting odd, as if he wasn’t the one who bluntly disapproved of Sakurai’s work. Ryou stopped abruptly, almost making the guy collide with him the second time on one day.

“I’m sorry, but-” he started, searching for words. “Why are you following me?”

The guy frowned. “I’m not. You’re kind of keep going in the same directi-oh, what the hell!”

Sakurai flinched, looking down to the sidewalk, where the man tried to brutally kick off a small cat rubbing itself on his calf. Crestfallen by that final blow to his dreams, Ryou turned around on his heels and rushed into the building, hoping to never see that horrible, horrible impostor ever again. His new editor was already waiting for him and, despite Sakurai’s apparent bad mood, she welcomed him warmly.

“Before we can begin, Sakurai-kun, do you mind waiting a minute? Can I offer you some coffee? You look tired. I’m sorry for the wait but I left my phone at home and I asked my brother to bring it to me, but he’s late, as always.”

Sakurai nodded tiredly. “Coffee would be great, thank you. I’m sorry for the trouble.”

“Oh, no trouble at all! I keep  _everything_  on that phone, so it’s my fault I forgot it and we can’t start working immediately. I’ll be right back with your coffee.”

Ryou nodded again and patiently waited for her return, busying himself with absentmindedly looking around her office. It was neat and refreshingly spacious, and he decided he was going to like meeting here. He suddenly straightened up when he heard the door open, ready to apologize for snooping, but the words died on his lips when he saw the awful fraud from before.

“You!” he cried in shock. “I’m sorry, but! What are you doing here?!”

“Eh? I’m dropping my sister’s phone, what are  _you_  doing here? Don’t tell me you’re her new- That lying cow, she said she was working with a prodigy with the best manga on the market!”

Ryou blushed. “She really said that about me? Ah, I’m sorry, I’m being vain, I’m so sorry!”

“No need to be, it’s all true,” said Satsuki-san, suddenly walking in with two mugs of coffee. “Thanks for the phone, Dai-chan. No thanks for being an hour late.”

Sakurai couldn’t help but chuckle as “Dai-chan” shrugged, earning himself a punch to the shoulder from his sister. They bantered for a bit, which nearly resulted in a spilled coffee, and Ryou offered to leave for a moment, uncomfortable with encroaching on their privacy.

“Don’t be silly, Sakurai-kun! He will be the one leaving. Go find a job, or something, Dai-chan.”

Despite knowing how drastically different he was from his favorite protagonist, Ryou couldn’t help but have a soft spot for the unexpected “real thing” as well. He was curious about the man who unceremoniously flipped his sister off, before storming out and slamming the door behind himself.

He flushed in embarrassment when he caught himself being glad Satsuki-san was his new editor, and hoping he would bump into her brother more often from now on.


End file.
